Amor Somnia
by LadyBlack3
Summary: If only they had waited for back up or been more careful on that fateful mission, Harry would still be able to look into his beautiful eyes, snuggle up with some a chow mein, or just complain to each other about their day in the shower. For now, and maybe for a long time still, he would have to remind Draco of their love through his dreams. Drarry


**Submitted for Round 2 of the Death By Quill 2019 competition organised by the lovely admins of The Slytherin Cabal. **

**Theme: Dream Magic (theme open for interpretation) **

**Requirements: pairing Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, story has to be between 1,000 and 3,500 words**

* * *

**23rd December 2005**

Harry groaned in exhaustion as he shrugged out of his lime green uniform and took his time to change into a pair of comfortable jeans and thick jumper to keep him warm. Their pre-Christmas rota was always punishing and he couldn't wait to get home for two whole days of rest. But despite all the challenges of his work and studies, Harry knew his choice to go down this path was a correct one.

After the war, something inside him shifted. He was utterly exhausted, his purpose filled and a hopefully long future stretching before him. Once the funerals and rebuilding of the castle were done, he decided to come back for a final year to do his N.E.W.T.s and figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life since he fulfilled his ultimate mission. A part of him enjoyed the boring monotony of a school year and having the time to just hang out with Hermione and Ron who also joined him at Hogwarts. It was at that time Harry also realised two things - he didn't want to be an Auror anymore, tired of fighting and chasing down dark wizards, but he also had no idea what to do with himself.

It's not like he needed to do anything, having come into his Potter and Black inheritance and titles meant he owned more gold than he could spend in a few centuries. But he would probably die of boredom if he didn't do something. So when the opportunity for career advice was offered to him by the Headmistress, he took full advantage of it. He could still remember the surprise on Minerva's face when he told her he was looking for a career outside of the Ministry ranks and the Quidditch pitch. They thought of different avenues including social work and the charity sector, where he would be able to use some of his life experience to help others. But in the end he felt that perhaps social work was a bit too close to the bone, and while he was happy to donate heavily to the charity sector, he didn't have the skills to run one so they looked at other fields that he could qualify for. When the subject of healing came up, he contemplated it for a few long moments before nodding his head in interest. He would be able to help others and also maybe specialise in a strand of healing magic that would be most of interest to him. And yet he hesitated. Harry always thought that the only two things he was particularly good at was Defence and flying. Could he become a healer? As it turned out, actually having time to study instead of fighting a psychopath improved his focus and grades and he was proud to receive mostly O's and E's in his final six subjects. With those grades he was readily welcomed into the healer training programme that would take three gruelling years to complete.

There were times when he doubted his choice, especially during that first year while he crammed anatomy and holistic healing theories while trying to simultaneously renovate the dilapidated Grimmauld place to make it inhabitable. But in the end he pulled through and he was all the happier for his choice.

He headed up to the fourth floor, taking the familiar route to the Janus Thickey Ward. Visitations were already over but he nodded to Archie, his soon to be colleague who was used to his visits by now, and headed for room number 47. Closing the door quietly, he walked to the occupied bed on the left and sat on its edge, taking in his partner's peaceful expression.

If only they had waited for back up or been more careful, Harry gritted his teeth and closed his eyes for a moment to steady himself at the thought of the incident just two hours after they kissed goodbye for the day that fateful morning. Ron was missing a couple of fingers but otherwise still fine. Draco was however hit with an unknown curse and hasn't woken up in the three months since, the damage to his brain severe. There was nothing to be done, no operation that could help, no potion that would wake him, no spell to cast to remedy the damage done. His mind may or may not regain its full function again, and they wouldn't know either way until he woke up. If he ever did…

Writing that letter to inform Narcissa who lived in France these days was one of the most painful things he had ever done, and holding her while she cried when Draco remained unresponsive day after day was even harder. And even though it has been three months since the accident, he still felt his heart break every time he looked at the handsome man before him. Harry finally found the field he wanted to specialise in - mind healing. The learning was vast, from mental health to sleep and dream magic as part of holistic healing and well-being, but he was determined to learn. For his Draco.

Focusing on his breathing, his mind cleared of everything other than the intent to connect with Draco. He felt his magic reaching out and gently slipping past the natural barriers of the blond's mind to connect them with a strong mental link. It was blank and silent, as it usually was, the sustained comatose state rarely allowing for dreams to be produced by the hopefully healing mind.

He summoned one of his favourite memories and chanted the incantation softly, sharing it with the blond's sub-conscience for his mind to pick up, like an imprint. He felt a gentle caress to his mind as Draco's magic recognised his, leading him deeper into the blond's mind where it recognised the magical impulse and he watched his memory turn hazy around the edges, becoming Draco's dream instead. It was an evening the first time they met as well...

_"Just in here, room number three, Mr. Malfoy," Agatha's crisp tone warned him two seconds before the blond stepped into the small examination room and the door closed behind him to give them privacy._

_They stared at each other for a long moment, taking in the changes they'd undergone in the last three years since they last saw each other at graduation. Harry immediately recognised the training doublet and small red A patch which stood for trainee Aurors, adorning the blond's chest. His chin was a still a bit on the pointy side but a bit more angular, and he grew into his tall, lean frame, now a little bit more filled out due to the rigorous physical training no doubt. He looked confident and mature, the only thing marring that image was the slight tightness in his posture and the protective way he covered his left side. That made Harry stand up from his desk and motion for the bed leaning against the wall. No matter their history, he was here to do a job and this was just the kind of test healer Davies would send his way._

_"Potter," Malfoy greeted neutrally though clearly surprised._

_They had hardly spoken following Draco's trial where he testified on his behalf, and throughout their final year, the Slytherin mostly keeping to himself and to his small group of companions. Harry wondered if they could be civil or if he would storm out of the room, demanding to be treated by anyone else available. It appeared he was however not going to throw a fit just yet so Harry nodded in greeting._

_"Malfoy," he responded and motioned for him to sit down. "I will be your healer today. What is the cause for your visit?" he asked, picking up his wand to run scans._

_He noticed the blond stiffen as he sat down and watched his every move for a moment but then he saw the magical chart monitoring his vitals appear and released a breath. "I was assisting on a case involving underground sale of dark artefacts and had one thrown at me before I could throw up a shield. I hit the wall hard and landed on my side. It hasn't felt right since," he explained simply, observing his movement._

_From the Golden Boy of Gryffindor to the man before him, he could instantly see the changes in Potter. Calm, collected, still the same short and lithe physique but eyes void of the sadness and constant swirl of emotions he could remember seeing in their last year. The birds nest of thick dark locks atop his head remained unchanged, but instead of looking out of place, it actually suited him these days. He didn't quite recognise this Potter, and it felt rather odd._

_Harry nodded to himself as he read the chart. "You appear to have fractured a rib and developed some bruising. You will need to take a mild version of Skelegro tonight to mend the fracture, and apply a comfrey salve," he commented and took out his prescription pad to write down the potions and topical salve. He straightened up again after a moment and stepped closer. "I need to check your head for any signs of concussion. Do you have a headache? Feel dizzy or nauseous?" he asked as he reached up and ignored the slight flinch from his touch as his fingers carded through the soft blond locks gently, feeling for any bumps from the impact._

_"No. I was disoriented for a moment but otherwise fine. Just the chest hurts," he replied in a somewhat clipped manner, feeling uncomfortable with Potter being so close to him._

_Harry stepped back and made notes on the patient chart before signing the prescription sheet and handing it over. "I can't detect any signs of concussion, so you should be fine to return to your training in two days' time. You can pick up your prescription at the dispensary on the floor above," Harry concluded. Usually he would add wishes for quick healing or something otherwise polite, but he could clearly see his professional manner was putting the blond on edge, so he put some distance between them and indicated he could leave._

_Draco stood there for a moment, holding his prescription and just looked at him. "Thanks, Potter," the words felt strange on his tongue, so he let the room before he could say anything else._

_"Fucking hell," Harry sat down in his chair and rubbed his temples quietly._

_"Trainee Potter," his supervisor's voice sounded from his doorframe. He looked up to see Gwendoline Davies, his mentor and trainer motion for him to join her. "Your shift is over. I expect your observations from today's practice in your practicum log by the end of the week. Well done for today," she nodded with a minute smile, confirming his suspicions that his last patient for the day was a purposeful test. Well, at least his shift was over, and they didn't hex each other on sight, so he would take that as a small victory. He did wonder however how Malfoy ended up in Auror training in the first place…_

He smiled nostalgically before watching the dream fade and focused, summoning the memory of their next meeting after that, watching it grow a little blurred and becoming a dream again.

_He stared into his cup tiredly, drinking the last of his coffee to keep him awake after the last harrowing incident. He was just finishing up with a patient when a code pink came through, singling a paediatric emergency. He rushed in to help but whatever artefact the little girl came in contact with, it possessed dark and volatile magic , the powerful force spreading through her veins and turning them black. Her small, ten-year-old body trashed in pain as two of the new healers tried to stabilise her to no avail. In the end, they couldn't stop the magical spread and her tiny magical core attacked her own body, forcing it into cardiac arrest. He knew there was nothing else they could have done, but her lifeless blue gaze was burnt into his memory as he took two minutes for a quick break and to get some more caffeine into his system. He just hoped he wouldn't have to deal with anything too heavy for the rest of the day._

_That was when the blond, now Auror Malfoy, was led into his room, leaning heavily on none other than his best friend._

_"Ron, Malfoy, what happened?" he asked, on his feet in an instant._

_"Just thought we could drop in and see you," Ron grinned. "Malfoy here tripped over a magical trap and crashed into a glass cabinet," he indicated at the blond's leg._

_"Wouldn't have tripped if you weren't too busy to warn me about the trap," Draco flipped back._

_Harry listened to their casual banter with some amusement as he worked to pull all the glass out of Draco's slim calf and bound it from knee to ankle after applying a salve to close the wounds. "The good news is that you will live and heal within 48 hours," Harry ran a final diagnostic spell and nodded to himself at the reading._

_"What's the bad news?" Malfoy piped up immediately._

_"I won't be able to join you for dinner tonight," Harry turned to Run with his response, aware that Hermione was cooking and he was invited to attend._

_Ron frowned. "Seriously mate, you work too much. When are you next free?" he asked._

_"Any chance for Thursday?" he asked casually as he flicked his wand and repaired the material of Malfoy's trousers to cover the bandage, gaining a raised brow from the blond._

_"I'll check with 'Mione and owl you," Ron promised._

_"Uh, hello? Aren't you supposed to be healing the patient instead of blabbing with a friend?" Draco pointed out._

_Harry stepped back and motioned at the door. "All done, Auror Malfoy. And please don't take this the wrong way, but I hope not to see you any time soon again," he grinned, some of his earlier dark mood easing._

_The blond snickered and flexed his leg before getting up, waving off his partner when he went to support him again. "Gladly. Thanks for the healing, Scarhead," he flipped over his shoulder as he strolled out._

_Harry rolled his eyes and clapped Ron on the shoulder before seeing them out. Insufferable as ever._

Then there was that time a couple of years ago before Halloween that he remembered with amusement.

_"Seriously, Malfoy. If I see you any more often, I will suspect you are trying to injure yourself on purpose, just so you have the chance to see me heal you," he tutted with a grin in between murmuring soft healing charms to close the scrapes littering the blond's back, leftover injuries from a family of unhappy pixies._

_He was on loan to the Dai Llewellyn Ward for Serious Bites for the week, and he still couldn't get away from the blond._

_"Piss off Potter, as if I asked for the little buggers to attack me," he grumbled before pulling his top back down to cover up his slightly banged-up torso. "It's not like I actually want to see your face. Sadly we do move in the same circles these days," he scrunched his nose a bit, despite the fact that he got on with Hermione like a house on fire these days, and he would jump in front of a Sectumsempra for his field partner Ron._

_"Fantastic. Now kindly get out so I can deal with more patients before I see you at dinner at Ron's tonight," Harry dismissed him but chuckled at the sarcastic little bow Draco delivered before swooping out of the ward confidently. Smug bastard._

He could feel the slight strain on his magic now, but persisted, determined to share with Draco a few more happy moments from their lives.

_"Thanks for a nice lunch guys, I'll catch you next week," Harry buttoned up his coat and kissed Hermione's cheek once more._

_"Hold the door, Potter," Malfoy finished wrapping his scarf and summoned his coat as well. "I'm heading back too," he explained and said goodbye to the newly engaged couple before they headed down the drive together in silence._

_"Heading home or to the office?" Harry ventured, as they were now on a more comfortable basis with each other._

_The blond shrugged and stuck his hands into his pockets. "I was just going to pop back to London, maybe get some coffee before heading for my shift," he looked at the man beside him before blurting out what his brain was trying to stop him from saying. "Want to come with?" he asked before he could take it back._

_Harry paused for a moment before checking his watch. "I have a couple of hours before my shift too, and could use some coffee. Sure," he agreed and accepted the blond's elbow as he apparated them away._

Their first unofficial date, the first time they actually talked and decided that a repeat was in order. Dating was difficult with their schedules but they made do.

_He took off his uniform tiredly and slipped back into his jeans, and t-shirt, ready to get home and crash after the day he had. After saying good night to Gwendoline and Agatha at the reception, he slipped out of the building and paused at the flash of blond, a familiar form leaning against the nearby lamp, waiting for him._

_"You didn't have to wait for me, your shift finished an hour ago," he said as he approached the man who was still wearing his Auror uniform._

_Draco shrugged and straightened up, pulling Harry closer by his jeans pocket. "Gave me a chance to wrap up some paperwork and pick you up," he offered, clearly just as tired as he was._

_A warm smile stretched Harry's lips nonetheless and he accepted a quick peck before they headed for the apparition point. "Chinese in bed tonight?" he asked hopefully._

_"You read my mind," Draco grinned and pulled him close to apparate them to his flat, clearly having no intentions of letting the brunet out of his arms for the rest of the eve before they ultimately succumbed to exhaustion._

Harry's heart stuttering painfully as he watched the last one, his favourite but most sweet-bitter memory of their time together. It was during the summer last year when they finally shared their hearts fully.

_The blond stretch out on a checkered blanket, soaking up the rays of the early summer sunshine in the field close to Ron's and Hermione's house. They had all gone out for a picnic but the newlywed couple slipped away for a walk to give them some alone time after a long week at work._ Harry watched himself walk over from inside the house, leaning down to kiss those inviting soft lips that quickly stretched into a grin.

_"I hope you came to ravish me now that we have a few minutes alone," he drawled teasingly and pulled Harry down to lie against his chest, long fingers toying with the hem of his top and caressing the soft skin of his side._

_Harry lifted his head until his nose brushed the blond's neck gently, breathing in his comforting scent. "I love you," he breathed, the three words slipping out for the first time since they got together. They have been together officially for over a year but only just now did he feel ready to say those words out loud._

_Draco tensed for a moment before Harry was pulled closer into his arms and the blond claimed his lips in a firm but tender kiss. "Love you too, Scarhead," he teased but there was warmth in his gaze that he shared with no one but the man in his arms. "Now, if you're done being soppy, want to take advantage of that sunflower field over there?" he wiggled his eyebrows cheekily._

When Archibald walked past room 47 later that evening on his rounds, all he could see was the his patient smiling in his sleep peacefully, and a single tear falling down the young healer's cheek as he held the blond's hand tightly in his.


End file.
